Roman Catholic Diocese of Berbérati
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Berbérati (Latin: Berberaten(sis)) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangui, both in the Central African Republic. However it remains under the authority of the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Its episcopal see is the cathedral in Berbérati, in the Mambéré-Kadéï Prefecture (southwest, formerly Haute-Sangha). The city also has the former cathedral dedicated to Saint Anna.
Statistics
As per 2014, it pastorally served 214,000 Catholics (48.3% of 443,000 total) on 44,000 km² in 16 parishes and 7 missions, with 30 priests (24 diocesan, 6 religious), 34 lay religious (10 brothers, 24 sisters) and 33 seminarians .
History
- Established on May 28, 1940 as Apostolic Prefecture of Berbérati, on territories split off from the Apostolic Vicariate of Foumban (also in Cameroon) and the Apostolic Vicariate of Oubangui Chari (now Central African Republic). Lost territory 1947.01.09 to establish the then Apostolic Prefecture of Fort-Lamy (in Chad)
- Promoted on March 13, 1952 as Apostolic Vicariate of Berbérati, hence entitled to a (titular) bishop
- September 14, 1955: Promoted as Diocese of Berbérati
- Lost territories on 1959.02.09 to establish the Apostolic Prefecture of Bossangoa
and on 1978.02.27 to establish the Diocese of Bouar.
Ordinaries
(all Roman rite; so far all members of missionary congregations)
- Apostolic Prefect of Berbérati
- Father Pietro Alcantara da Habas, Capuchin Franciscans (O.F.M. Cap.) (1941.03.28 – death 1952)
- Apostolic Vicar of Berbérati
- Alphonse-Célestin-Basile Baud, O.F.M. Cap. (1954.04.10 – 1955.09.14 see below), Titular Bishop of Risinium (1954.04.10 – 1955.09.14), French
- Suffragan Bishops of Berbérati
- Alphonse-Célestin-Basile Baud, O.F.M. Cap. (see above 1955.09.14 – retired 1979.06.02, died 1981), French
- Jérôme-Michel-Francis Martin, O.F.M. Cap. (1987.10.03 – retired 1991.06.17, died 2009), French
- Agostino Giuseppe Delfino, O.F.M. Cap. (1991.06.17 – retired 2010.06.17), Italian
- Dennis Kofi Agbenyadzi, Society of African Missions (S.M.A.) (2012.05.14 - ...), first native Ordinary